Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-06
TODD AND TURNER.

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TODD AND TURNER.
Testimony Before the Washington
Presbytery To-Day.
STILL TRYING TO GET AT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE
CHARGES AGAINST THE MANASSAS PASTOR
After the recess yesterday in the trial of Rev. F.
NJ. Todd, Mrs. Georgiana Herndon testified to
having seen horseman leave DR.. Readings about
$50. or little later in the morning or May "a;
thought 1t was Mr.. Todd.
An affidavit Of Mason Knox Hershay was put in
to the effect that Hershay saw Mr.. Todd that day
on the direct road to Manassas.
Mr.. Todd was recalled. and testified that he had
no remembrance OF ever having seen Turner prior
to the making OF this charge.
Page Al d,rson, cOlOred laborer, testified II q
ne knew turner; had known Mr.. Todd eight Or
nine years. heard Turner tell his story about find
Ing Mr. Todd IN the woods to crowd In NOkes-
Vile several days after the alleged occurrence.
Turner said that If Mr.. Todd had given him $40 he
would not have said anything about it. Witness
was familiar with the woods described by Turner:
the ground In there is damp and marshy. On June
10 Mi. Hornbacker requested witness to tell
turner 10 stick to his story as he had plenty OF
backing. Witness went with Turner and others
INTO the woods and Turner pointed out the tree TO
which he said Mr. Todd's horse was hitched.
Ihere were no horSe-trackS under the tree. Wit
ness would believe Turner in some matters, in
others he would not.
DIR. Reading corroborated his wife's testimony as
10 the time Mr.. Todd left his house that morning.
He visited the woods in company with Turner,
and the latter pointed out an oak tree as the one
had said it was hickory tree but there was no
hickory tree in that vicinity. Dr. Reading meas
ured some hOof tracks that were under the tree,
and afterward compared them with the hoofs OF
Mr.. Todd's horse; they were not the same. lie
also testified that IL a man laid in the position
Turner described his feet would have been higher
A q nd orfl 10
cayed tree limb was produced, which Dr. Reading
said would have been Immediately under MIR. Todd
had he laid where Turner said he did.
The judiciary committee OF five had confer
ence and as result the chairman, DR.. Chester,
submitted resolution declaring that the prose-
cution had failed to make out case and propOs-
Dr. Sunderland, in behalf Of Mr. Todd, protested
against such summary dismissal OF the case. A
Chester withdrew his resolution and it was deci-
ded to go on with the trial.
to-day.
PROCEEDINGS TODAY.
The trial was resumed at the New York Avenue
church to-day. An AFFIDAVIT by j. w. Fultz was
introduced. Fultz swore that on the oath Of May
he was painting the front OF Meredith's house,
which is opposite Mrs. shelters The latter swore
Warrenton road, which leads to the woods indi-
Gated by Turner. FultZ SwOre that he did not see
Mr: Todd pass and that he could not have passed
without being seen by defendant.
An af1davit OF Bette Turner, wife of Robert Tur-
nsr lcolored, principal witness Of prosecution was
admitted She swore that her husband came
home that morning about 10 am. and that he said
he 'met old Todd and came straight home"
Douglass Brent tcoloredl, by affidavit, testified
that while working in Corry's cOrnfield, with
Turner and Others on the morning OF May "A,
he saw man pass on horseback between and
O'Clock; did not know whether it was Mr. Todd or
not
The defense contended that the man seen by
Brent was woodward, who testified that he passed
that read on horseback that morning.
Other affidavitS were submitted, but all of them
were simply conrmatoTy as to evidence already In.
AN AMUSING INCIDENT
occurred just here Rev. Mr.. Fleming said he
observed that Brother Wolfe, OF the Lexington
Presbytery, was in the room, and he moved that
he be invited to sit as a corresponding member
This motion prevailed, and a fine-looking gentle
man: arose and said: 81 am OF the New York Pres
bytery, not the lexington"
THAT is not the gentleman referred TO-" said
ME- tlemlng, at the same time pointing at the
Wolfe he had meant 1t transpired that there
were two OF the name present. and some member
remarked that the evolves were in number among
TAKING IT CoOLLY.
Mrs. John B. Slack. wife OF Mr. Slack, who testi-
fled several days ago, and who lives on the road
from Dr.. Readings to Manassas testified that on
Tuesday, May "a, Mr.. Todd reached her house
did not see MIR. Todd until he entered
the house. Her daughter was in the house,
and remained there until 3 p. m. Mr.. Todd said he
who had been reading one OF the books, called up
FROM the basement to witness that She would like
to finish reading the book. Mr.. Todd said he would
leave it. The daughter did not see Mr. Todd. Mr..
Todd remained about half an hour, and rode away
In a walk. Witness observed him until he passed
out OF sight, and remarked to her daughter that
Mr.. Todd was taking 1t very cOolly.
On cross-exam1natton, witness said Mr.. Todd
brought the books, three OF them, to her house on
Monday; left them there until next day, when he
called and took two OF them away, leaving one
that Miss Slack desired to read. Witness did not
know where Mr. Todd got the books. witness
fast he would overtake Mr.. Slack, who had gone
to Manassas with a load OF hay. On Monday Mr.
Todd took dinner at witness m 1 house, and spent the
when he returned he had the books While Mr.
Todd was at her house on Tuesday he appeared
entirely cool and dcollected-mantfested no uneast-
ness nor anxiety. Witness could see Mr.. Todd for
threequarters OF mile after he left; was sure she
could recognize him for that distance and he kept
the direct road.
TURNER'S REMARK ABOUT TODD.
Little O. Slack, son OF the preceding witness.
testified that on Monday, May %, he was working
In Curry's corndeld; saw Mr.. Todd ride by. Wit
ness remarked to Robert Turner, "There goes
that horse Mr.. Curry made so much fun Of" Tur-
nep repsd aTodd s, an old added
speak, but pass him as ii he was dog. At 8 a. m.
on Tuesday, May "a, witness started from home
hay. The hay was taken to Mr.. ToddS residence
in Manassas. Mr.. Todd reached his home about
IL 30. Witness went to Turner's house Wednesday.
May %, to employ Turner to shear some sheep.
After being there awhile, Turner asked IL any one
left witness house the day before with Mr.. Todd.
Turner asked several other questions about Mr..
Todd, and then added: "Id give quarter II you
knew as much about him (Mr. Todd as do"
Then Turner told OF his alleged discovery OF Mr..
Todd in the woods the day before. Witness asked
Turner why he didn't try to find out who the
woman was. Turner replied that ''it was not the
woman,
IT WAS THE NAN HE WAS AFTER"
Turner also said that he tracked the horse up to
log, by means OF which the woman either
mounted or dismounted.
Mr.. Lyman objected to the leading manner in
DR.. Sunderland, with some warmth, replied that
II the presbytery wanted the truth they must not
1nterpOSe technicalitieS.
The moderator said he had tried to stop leading
questions but he could not unless he objected to
every question. He thought it would come to
that.
DR.. Sunderland said it was proper to state mat
ter and let the witness say whether 1t was true
not.
Mr.. Lyman never heard before of any such rule
Of procedure. He said DR.. Sunderland had been
leading the witness along step by step.
The witness, reSuming, said upon leaving Tur-
ner'S he went down to the woods and searched for
horse tracks entering them, but failed find any
road leads into the woods, but witness did not
follow 1t.
LYING ON "DUsTRR."
On cross-examinatiOn witness said he was
twenty years old. Witness repeated his account
OF his visit to Turner's house on Wednesday and
of Turner's relating his alleged discovery In the